FIA confirms WRC candidate event in U.S. in 2026

The FIA has confirmed plans for a World Rally Championship 'candidate event' for mid-2026 ahead of an anticipated return to the country for the series. 

The event, organized in collaboration with the Automobile Competition Committee of the United States (ACCUS), will take place from June 11-17, with FIA delegates inspecting every aspect of the event, including sporting operations and safety protocols. 

As part of the FIA's visit, its delegates will explore stages in Kentucky and Tennessee and visit a round of the American Rally Association National championship (main image). Should the candidate event prove successful, it would open the door for the U.S. to return to the WRC calendar in 2027.

“The United States represents one of the most important growth opportunities for the FIA World Rally Championship,” said  FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. “It is a nation where motor sport is part of the cultural DNA, with world-class domestic championships and a rapidly growing appetite for global competition. I am deeply committed to strengthening the FIA’s presence in the U.S. and ensuring that rallying becomes a defining pillar of that future.

“With five FIA-sanctioned events already established across three FIA World Championships across the nation, the foundations are firmly in place. Now is the time to build on that momentum. Expanding the WRC into North America would not only enhance the championship’s global reach, but connect rallying with a knowledgeable, passionate, and expanding fanbase in a market where participation and engagement continue to accelerate and grow.”

The U.S. previously featured on the WRC schedule in 1973 and '74 with Press On Regardless in the Detroit area. Walter Boyce and Lean-Luc Therier won the two Press On Regardless events that were WRC rounds. 

After the FIA observed the Olympus ‘World Championship Prototype’ event – which was won by Hannu Mikkola in an Audi Sport Quattro S1 in 1985 – Washington state's Olympus Rally was a fully-fledged WRC round from 1986 to 1988.

Lancia was unbeaten in the three WRC Olympus Rallies, with Markku Alen winning what was to be the final WRC rally for the infamous Group B cars in 1986, and Juha Kankkunen, and Miki Biasion taking victory in ‘87 and ‘88 before America's lengthy WRC hiatus began.

“The confirmation of a FIA World Rally Championship candidate event in the United States is an important milestone and a first step towards bringing the championship to the country, offering a valuable opportunity to assess the proposed stages and service park concept,” said Malcolm Wilson, FIA deputy president for sport and longtime WRC competitor as driver and team owner. 
“ACCUS plays a central role in this process, bringing significant experience and leadership within American motor sport, and the FIA will work closely with ACCUS and the event organizers to evaluate the event and support its continued development to ensure it meets FIA World Rally Championship standards.”

Lance Smith, founder of ARA promoter Rally Forward and president and CEO of Subaru’s U.S. factory rallying partner Vermont SportsCar welcomed the news, saying it would help grow rallying in the country.

“The FIA’s announcement of a WRC candidate event in the United States is a significant step toward the WRC returning to America, and we congratulate Podium Event Partners on achieving this milestone in the process,” he said. “The American Rally Association’s mission is to preserve, protect and promote the sport of stage rally in America. 

“As the organizer and promoter of the ARA National Championship, Rally Forward sees this moment in time as an opportunity to accelerate the growth and expansion of rally in this country, so we are supportive of the planned WRC return and are looking forward to collaborating with the parties involved to help make it a reality.”